22 minute read
Spotlight
UC Berkeley California Memorial Stadium
Protecting and Strengthening a Landmark on an Active Fault
By David Friedman, S.E., René Vignos, S.E. and Chris Petteys, S.E.
Forell/Elsesser Engineers, Inc. was an Outstanding Award Winner for the UC Berkeley California Memorial Stadium Seismic Upgrade project in the 2013 NCSEA Annual Excellence in Structural Engineering awards program (Category – Forensic/ Renovation/Retrofit/Rehabilitation Structures).
Built as a memorial to fallen heroes of World War I from California, Memorial Stadium has endured as one of the most picturesque venues in college football from its opening in 1923 for the “Big Game” versus Stanford to the present day. Over the years, the original Stadium had shown its age and also shown signs of how the earth is slowly creeping on the Hayward Fault beneath it. This movement had shown up through leaning columns, building cracks, and column offsets and misalignments. The challenge for the design team was how to preserve this monument in place and ensure the safety of its occupants should a large earthquake occur. Due to the site location and geology, design for large ground motions dominated the engineering decisions that were made about the structure. The unique thing about Memorial Stadium is that it not only needed to be designed for the strong ground motions, but also needed to accommodate potential surface rupture of the Hayward Fault below certain portions of the building. Geologists on the project located and mapped the Hayward Fault around the Stadium. Due to the historic nature of the Stadium and its location adjacent to campus, it was decided to retrofit the structure in place and develop a solution that safely accommodated the potential surface rupture. Through an interdisciplinary effort between structural engineers, geologists, seismologists, and geotechnical engineers, a scheme was designed to accommodate the estimated 6 feet of lateral movement and simultaneous 2 feet of vertical movement that could occur on site. For Memorial Stadium, this meant breaking the seating bowl into discrete blocks where the fault crossed so that these portions of the building could move in response to possible surface rupture without affecting the rest of the structure. The challenge was to determine the best location and the optimum width for these joints while still accommodating the architectural design of the building. Through study of this problem with advanced finite-element modeling and through physical study models, along with many meetings and debates between the engineers, geologists, and seismologists, a final scheme was developed that satisfied the requirements of all the stakeholders. While a large portion of the engineering effort was devoted to solving the issue of accommodating surface rupture, another large engineering challenge also dominated the design of the stadium. One of the signature architectural features of the Stadium is a two story, 375-foot long press box that hovers above the west side of the seating bowl. This press box not only houses print, radio, and TV media, but also has a club space with views and seating facing the field and a dramatic 25-foot cantilever balcony that faces campus with views of the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate beyond. While designing a press box on limited supports to give the appearance of “hovering” is a challenge, the real challenge came in safely bracing this structure for large potential ground motions at this site. The press box structure is designed as a 3D space truss with diagonals in all directions which allows the structure to cantilever toward the field, span 90 feet between vertical supports, and be braced seismically between the supporting cores. Even with the extensive bracing, the press box is still relatively flexible when compared with the concrete stadium seating bowl below. As the design progressed, the engineers realized that a large flexible steel structure on four slender concrete core walls attaching to a very stiff triangular seating bowl created a dynamic incompatibility within the combined structure. In addition to conflicting dynamics, there would also be a high concentration of damage to the core walls where they attached to the seating bowl, this was a big concern since the cores serve as the only path for exit stairs and elevators, as well as providing gravity support for the press box itself. Through many iterations of design, a solution that simultaneously solved the biggest concerns was developed: provide a separation between the bowl and press box structures and allow them to move independently, and link them with fluid viscous dampers. These dampers buffer the movements between the two structures, tempering the accelerations in the press box. To protect the tall slender core walls supporting the press box, the engineers intended them to rock as a rigid body at their base instead of trying to fix them to the foundation system rigidly. Vertical post-tensioning was utilized in all the cores and allows them to rock by providing a restoring force and a constant compression force to help them remain elastic. The combination of the vertical post-tensioning and fluid viscous dampers allows the two structures to work together to resist strong ground motions. With this project complete, Memorial Stadium is safe for the effects of surface rupture and ground shaking from the Hayward fault while retaining it’s iconic historic façade and providing UC Berkeley with all the amenities of a modern facility. Memorial Stadium is now the envy of the PAC12 and provides Cal fans with a safe place to spend a fall afternoon cheering on their team.▪
David Friedman, S.E., is a Senior Principal with Forell/Elsesser, former President and CEO, and currently the Chair of the Board of Directors. David can be reached at daf@forell.com. René Vignos, S.E., is a Principal with Forell/Elsesser. René can be reached at r.vignos@forell.com. Chris Petteys, S.E., is an Associate and licensed structural engineer at Forell/Elsesser. Chris can be reached at c.petteys@forell.com.
ASSOC I A T I O N S NATIONAL COUNCI L
NCSEA News
NCSEA’s new Webinar Subscription Plan is o to a roaring start. NCSEA members are taking advantage of this new and exciting program to plan their continuing education for the year. e Subscription Plan o ers unlimited live NCSEA webinars for one year for only $750. e subscription plan is open only to NCSEA members – members of NCSEA Member Organizations and NCSEA Sustaining, Associate and A liate members, and membership status will be veri ed. It includes live NCSEA webinars only and has a guarantee that a minimum of ten webinars, and up to 24, will be o ered. A subscription plan can be started at any time. e one-year plan begins on the rst day of the month in which the subscription application is received. Each webinar includes speaker slides, notes, and one free PDH certi cate. If others watch the webinar with the subscriber and wish to obtain a certi cate, they may purchase a certi cate for $30 within two weeks of completing the webinar. After two weeks, additional certi cates will not be available. e individual subscription plan was developed in response to numerous requests from small structural engineering rms and sole proprietorships, for webinars they could a ord, states NCSEA Executive Director Jeanne Vogelzang. “To date, 90 “ ere are several providers for webinars in the industry. NCSEA’s quality of presenters are excellent and the subject matter is very relevant to our o ce’s needs for both Junior and Senior Structural Engineers. To get this type of quality for the annual price is a good investment for our team and our rm.”
Julian Lineham, PE, SECB Principal, Studio NYL Structural Engineers
“We have appreciated the variety of topics and quality of presentations given in the past NCSEA-sponsored webinars, and we are con dent that our 2014 annual subscription purchase will provide a great continuing education value to our rm’s engineers.”
John Riley, S.E., P.E. Principal, Quantum Consulting Engineers LLC
percent of subscribers are names that are new to us and the webinar program; and some of these new subscribers are engineers who have joined their local SEA’s, in order to bene t.”
NCSEA Webinars
March 13, 2014 Floor Vibrations: Technical Background and AISC Design Guide 11, Part 1 Brad Davis, Ph.D., S.E., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Kentucky March 27, 2014 Floor Vibrations: Technical Background and AISC Design Guide 11, Part 2 Brad Davis, Ph.D., S.E., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Kentucky
April 10, 2014 Load Generators – What Exactly is My Software Doing? Sam Rubenzer, P.E., S.E., FORSE Consulting
April 24, 2014 Structural Fire Resistance – Overview, Codes and Standards Background Nestor R. Iwankiw, Ph.D., P.E., S.E., Senior Engineer, Hughes Associates, Inc.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS NCSEA CONTINUING EDUCATION
Diamond Reviewed
ese courses will award 1.5 hours of continuing education. Approved for CE credit in all 50 States through the NCSEA Diamond Review Program. Time: 10:00 AM Paci c, 11:00 AM Mountain, 12:00 PM Central, 1:00 PM Eastern. NCSEA o ers three options for registrations to NCSEA webinars: ala carte, Flex-Plan, and Yearly Subscription. Visit www.ncsea.com for more information or call 312-649-4600.
Safety Assessment Program Webinar Set for May 16
NCSEA will once again o er a Post-Disaster Safety Assessment webinar on May 16. e California O ce of Emergency Management (CalOES) Safety Assessment Program (SAP), presented by NCSEA, is one of only two post-disaster assessment programs that will be compliant with the requirements of the forthcoming Federal Resource Typing Standards for engineer emergency responders. e course is o ered twice per year as an NCSEA webinar. Based on ATC-20/45 methodologies and documentation, the SAP training course provides engineers, architects and code-enforcement professionals with the basic skills required to perform safety assessments of structures following disasters. Licensed design professionals and certi ed building o cials will be eligible for SAP Evaluator certi cation and credentials following completion of this program and submission of required documentation. e NCSEA CalOES SAP Program consists of three webinar segments over one day’s time, and is taught by Jim Barnes, who has worked for 20 years for the State of California’s disaster agency. He has served as the lead statewide coordinator for the Safety Assessment Program (SAP) for ve years, and has given around 150 classes in the subject since 2004.
Mark Your Calendar!
NCSEA Annual Conference
September 17-20, 2014 Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel, New Orleans
The Newsletter of the Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE Structural Columns
A premier event for structural engineers
New ideas. New science. New resources. New colleagues. New business practices. Boston, Massachusetts, April 3-5, 2014
“I’ve attended a great many Structures Congresses since my first one in Houston, back in 1983. I learn something new and important every time. I urge my colleagues, both those just getting started and those who are masters in their profession, to attend.”
William F. Baker, Jr., P.E., S.E., F. ASCE Partner, Skidmore Owings and Merrill LLP
Earn up to 18.5 professional development hours (PDHs).
EXHIBIT HALL
Visit the booths to learn about new products and services, plus see the CANstruction competition taking place for the first time at Structures Congress:
NETWORKING
Improve all stages of your career by attending Congress networking events. • Welcome Reception in Exhibit Hall • Opening & Closing Plenary Sessions • Continental Breakfasts each day • Buffet Lunch in Exhibit Hall on Friday • CASE Breakfast • Refreshment Breaks in mornings and afternoons • Special Evening Reception at the Top of the Hub
Skywalk Observatory Register now for the best rates, Advance registration available until March 13, 2014. Visit the Structures Congress website at www.structurescongress.org.
Errata
SEI posts up-to-date errata information for our publications at www.asce.org/SEI. Click on “Publications” on our menu, and select “Errata.” If you have any errata that you would like to submit, please email it to Paul Sgambati at psgambati@asce.org. Selected Structures Congress Papers Available For Free Download Ten papers from the 2013 and 2012 Structures Congress have been selected to provide a sample of the types of topics presented and discussed at this annual event. These articles are free to registered users and subscribers through April 30, 2014. Please register or login for access at http://ascelibrary.org/page/collections/structurescongress2014.
Thank You to Those Who Invest in the SEI Futures Fund
Your contributions help advance the art, science, and practice of structural engineering, and enable the SEI Futures Fund to provide critical financial support to SEI each year. The SEI Futures Fund supports a broad range of activities that fall outside the annual SEI operating budget. These activities might not be possible without ongoing philanthropic support. Learn more at www.asce.org/SEIFuturesFund and invest in the future of structural engineering. Gifts are fully deductible for income tax purposes.
New Chapter on Tsunami Design Developed for ASCE 7-16
A U.S. standard for designing against the effects of a tsunami does not presently exist, resulting in a significant risk left mostly ignored in coastal engineering design. To fill this gap, the ASCE 7 Tsunami Loads and Effects Subcommittee (TLESC) has developed a comprehensive chapter now being balloted for inclusion in the 2016 edition of the ASCE 7 Standard, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures. This new chapter would become the first national, consensus-based standard for tsunami resilience for use in the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii. Visit the SEI website at www.asce.org/SEI and see the entire article in the news section.
New Shake Table Standard under Development
ASCE is seeking members for the development of a national consensus standard governing shake-table testing for nonstructural components. The intent of the standard is to complement the building code provisions for special certification requirements for designated seismic systems where required by ASCE 7. Interested parties may submit an application to join this new committee at www.asce.org/codes-standards/applicationform/. For more information, please contact James Neckel at jneckel@asce.org, Codes and Standards Coordinator. Visit the SEI website at www.asce.org/SEI for the complete press release, located in the news section.
VA Tech Graduate Student Chapter
The SEI Graduate Student Chapter at Virginia Tech has been busy scheduling multiple events for the Spring 2014 semester. We are working closely with both our undergraduate chapter of ASCE and the Virginia Tech Geotechnical Student Organization, and we have scheduled a few invited speakers and webinars covering a variety of exciting topics. Our graduate student chapter will be working with the faculty this spring to send students to conferences around the country. We are working to have students attend the Structures Congress in Boston, ACI in Reno, and the Steel Conference in Toronto. We are also beginning our first outreach project this semester, partnering with Christopher Consultants to provide design and construction recommendations for a school being built in rural Haiti. This should prove to be a very exciting and meaningful project, and our members are looking forward to putting their engineering knowledge to use.
Colorado Chapter
The Colorado Structural Technical Group officially became an SEI Chapter on November 12th, 2013. The chapter has been holding monthly meetings and presentations separate from the ASCE monthly meetings. These separate presentations allow us to focus more on structural related topics, and find interesting and relevant subject matter. Recent presentations have included Seismic Hazard in Colorado, Life-Safety Structural Assessments after Flooding in Colorado, Denver International Airport Terminal Expansion, and Colorado Department of Transportation Flood Repairs – Bridge Rehabilitation and Replacements. The chapter has also assembled a local SEI Leadership council that meets monthly and is currently brainstorming ideas for fundraising and community outreach.
Important Information About the 2015 and 2016 Structures Congresses
2015 Structures Congress is scheduled for April 23-25 at the Portland, Oregon Convention Center. Schedule Changes:
In response to attendee feedback, all committee meetings will take place on Wednesday, April 22, 2015. This change will eliminate the schedule conflicts between committee meetings and technical sessions.
2016 Joint Congress with the GEO Institute will take place in February 2016. Dates and location are not finalized.
Special Joint Event: The 2016 congress will feature a total of 15 concurrent tracks: 5 tracks will be on traditional GI topics, 5 tracks on traditional SEI topics, and 5 tracks on joint topics. In addition, we will be offering interactive poster presentations within these tracks. What this means for you? Start thinking about sessions that would be of interest to both Geotechnical and Structural Engineers and prepare your session proposals.
Become Involved in Local Activities
Join your local SEI Chapter or Structural Technical Groups (STG) to connect with colleagues, take advantage of local opportunities for lifelong learning, and advance structural engineering in your area. If there is not an SEI Chapter or STG in your area, talk with your ASCE Section/Branch leaders about the simple steps to form an SEI Chapter. Some of the benefits of forming an SEI Chapter include: • Connect with other SEI local groups through quarterly conference calls and annual conference • Use of SEI Chapter logo branding • SEI Chapter announcements published at www.asce.org/SEI and in SEI Update • One free ASCE webinar (to $299 value) sponsored by the SEI Endowment Fund • Funding for one representative to attend the Annual SEI
Local Leadership Conference to learn about new SEI initiatives, share best practices, participate in leadership training, and earn PDHs • SEI outreach supplies available upon request Visit the SEI website at www.asce.org/SEI for more information on how to connect with your local group or to form a new SEI Chapter.
SEI Sustaining Organization Membership is an exciting new opportunity for organizations to demonstrate their commitment to excellence in structural engineering year-round, and support the mission and objectives of SEI. An organization can choose SEI Sustaining Organization Membership at one of two annual membership levels to show its support of SEI, and receive benefits of increasing visibility and exposure in the structural engineering community directly to more than 20,000 SEI members and at SEI conferences, through the SEI website www.asce.org/SEI, SEI Update e-newsletter, and STRUCTURE magazine. Review the SEI Sustaining Organization Membership Details and Benefits and join now at www.asce.org/SEI-SustainingOrg-Membership. SEI Sustaining Organization Members will be recognized for their support of SEI at Structures Congress April 3-5, 2014 in Boston. If you have questions, contact Suzanne Fisher at sfisher@asce.org or 703-295-6195. SEI Sustaining Organization Members who choose to exhibit at SEI conferences receive preferred booth placement in the Exhibit Hall and increased networking opportunities through recognition in the program guide and exhibit space. To learn about exhibiting at Structures Congress 2014, contact Sean Scully at sscully@asce.org, 703-295-6154, or visit http://content.asce.org/conferences/structures2014/.
CASE in Point
The CASE Risk Management Convocation will be held in conjunction with the Structures Congress at the Sheraton Boston Hotel and Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA, April 3-5, 2014. For more information and updates go to www.seinstitute.org. The following CASE Convocation sessions are scheduled to take place on Friday, April 4:
7:00 AM – 8:15 AM
CASE Breakfast: The Storms are Coming, the Storms are Coming: The Need for a Revolution in Engineering Approaches to Climate and Disaster Risk
Stephen Long, The Nature Conservancy
8:30 AM–10:00 AM
Mobile Technology for the Field
Moderator – Theron Peacock, Woods Peacock 10:30 AM – 12 Noon
Developing an Internal Culture to Managing a Firm’s Risks
Speaker – Michael Strogoff, Strogoff Consulting
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
SE Agreements and Lessons Learned
Speaker – Steven Schaefer, Schaefer Associates
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Key Components to Starting Your Own Successful Engineering Practice – Panel Discussion
Moderator – Chris Poland, Degenkolb Engineers
Upcoming ACEC Online Seminars – April
14 Touches to Win the Sales Cycle
April 2, 2014; 1:30 pm to 3:00pm Eastern
14 best ways to reach out, share your expertise without sounding like it’s a hard sell, and warm up prospects to choose your firm for its knowledge and credibility. For more information and to register, www.acec.org/education/eventDetails.cfm?eventID=1522. Negotiating Better Engineering Contracts
April 10, 2014; 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm Eastern
This seminar will focus on conflict resolution related to engineering and architectural contracts by applying improved techniques of negotiation. For more information and to register, www.acec.org/education/eventDetails.cfm?eventID=1561.
Mergers & Acquisitions, 2.0
April 8, 2014; 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm Eastern
Learn the essentials of M&A, including how to value your firm, position and package your firm for sale, attract the best buyers, and avoid common pitfalls. For more information and to register, www.acec.org/education/eventDetails.cfm?eventID=1513. Business Continuity Planning and the Impact on Small Firms: Preparing for the Unexpected
April 16, 2014; 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm Eastern
What key issues should your firm address to ensure business continuity in the event of severe weather? For more information and to register, www.acec.org/education/eventDetails.cfm?eventID=1537.
CASE 976A – Value-Based Compensation Commentary
The importance of receiving adequate fees for structural services is vital for the engineering practice to thrive. If fees are not adequate, the structural engineering professional becomes a commodity; libraries are not maintained, computer software and equipment becomes outdated and the quality of our product declines significantly. Value Based Compensation is a means to step out of the ordinary and establish your value to the team. Value Based Compensation is based on the concept that there are specific services, which may vary from project to project, that provide valuable information to the client and whose impact on the success of the project is far in excess of the prevailing hourly rates. Value Based Compensation is based on the increased value or savings these innovative structural services will contribute to the project. As a result, the primary beneficiary of an innovative design or a concept is the owner, but the innovative engineer is adequately compensated for his knowledge and expertise in lieu of his time. CASE 976-C – A Review and Commentary AISC’s 2010 COSP
The American Institute of Steel construction (AISC) 2010 Code of Standard Practice (COSP) for Steel Buildings and Bridges addresses many recent changes in the practice of designing, purchasing, fabricating and erecting structural steel, and is therefore a continuation of the trend of past improvements and developments of this standard. It is important to note the Structural Engineer can change any of the requirements of the Code of Standard Practice by specifying an alternative in the Contract Documents. This document discusses the list of changes published in the preface of the 2010 Edition and provides some commentary to these changes. This document also addresses areas of the COSP that may not be well understood by some SERs, but will likely have an impact on the structural engineer’s practice of designing and specifying structural steel. These guidelines and more are available at www.booksforengineers.com.
Powerful Keynote Speakers Headline ACEC Annual Convention
Business and politics are the focus of the upcoming ACEC 2014 Annual Convention and Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C., April 27-30.
Hyper-partisan Politics and the National Agenda
David Gregory, NBC News Political Analyst and Host of
“Meet the Press”
America’s New Security Threats
General (Ret.) Michael Hayden, Former Director of NSA and CIA
National Economic Outlook
Martin Regalia, Chief Economist and Senior V.P., U.S.
Chamber of Commerce The Convention will also feature Capitol Hill visits; legislative updates and projections; federal market opportunities; CEO, CFO and CIO roundtables; bottom-line focused educational sessions; the Engineering Excellence Awards Gala; and a “teaming fair” for large and small firms to pursue partnering opportunities.
Go to www.acec.org/conferences/annual-14/index.cfm to register!
Donate to the CASE Scholarship Fund!
The ACEC Council of American Structural Engineers (CASE) is currently seeking contributions to help make the structural engineering scholarship program a success. The CASE scholarship, administered by the ACEC College of Fellows, is awarded to a student seeking a Bachelor’s degree, at minimum, in an ABET-accredited engineering program. We have all witnessed the stiff competition from other disciplines and professions eager to obtain the best and brightest young talent from a dwindling pool of engineering graduates. One way to enhance the ability of students in pursuing their dreams to become professional engineers is to offer incentives in educational support. In addition, the CASE scholarship offers an excellent opportunity for your firm to recommend eligible candidates for our scholarship. If your firm already has a scholarship program, remember that potential candidates can also apply for the CASE Scholarship or any other ACEC scholarship currently available. Your monetary support is vital in helping CASE and ACEC increase scholarships to those students who are the future of our industry. All donations toward the program may be eligible for tax deduction and you don’t have to be an ACEC member to donate! Contact Heather Talbert at htalbert@acec.org to donate.
ACEC Business Insights
Just Released – EJCDC® E-500
Agreement between Owner and Engineer for Professional Services, 2014 Edition
EJCDC E-500 is a comprehensive standard contract for engaging an engineering firm to provide design services and related construction-phase engineering and administrative services. The terms and content of the 2013 edition of EJCDC E-500 coordinate with the 2013 edition of EJCDC’s Construction (C-series) documents, including EJCDC® C-700, the Standard General Conditions of the Construction Contract. E-500’s scope of services recognizes the Engineer’s role in the new C-series Change Proposal process, and acknowledges limits on the Engineer’s construction phase role. Updates also address C-700’s treatment of Defective Work, establishing a Notice of Acceptability exhibit that is functionally compatible with C-700 provisions regarding completion of the work and final payment of the contractor. Updates: • E-500 definitions conform to the definitions used in the 2013 C Series documents. • Recent federal legislation and related SEC rulemaking has placed restrictions and requirements on firms that provide financing advice to municipalities. As most engineering firms are not municipal financial advisors,
E-500 clarifies the engineer’s role in project planning and establishes a scope of work that does not include regulated municipal financial advisor activities. • C-700 requires that prior to final payment the “Engineer will also give written notice to Owner and Contractor that the Work is acceptable” and refers to a notice of acceptability, which has been part of E-500 as Exhibit
E. This updated Exhibit E offers a standard notice form that meets construction administrative needs while maintaining the Contractor’s contractual responsibility for its work. • C-700 has clearly defined “defective work” in an objective manner focused on compliance with the
Contract Documents, and that does not directly link to design concept, intent, or compatibility. • E-500 clarifies the right of the Engineer to suspend work for non-payment and presence of Constituents of Concern (rights that were given but not clearly itemized.) • E-500 has never included a defense obligation in its indemnification terms. Professional liability carriers will not provide a defense to Owners or other indemnities. In light of confusing and changing court rulings that imply a defense duty despite no such duty being stated, the
E-500 update includes an explicit clause that refutes any defense obligation. Completely Customizable Formatted in easy-to-use Microsoft Word, EJCDC E-500 is available for immediate download to your computer. Use as is or customize as needed for your projects. Order now at www.booksforengineers.com! (Please use Google Chrome or Firefox to place your online order.)
